Have a treasure trove of organizational supplies, recyclables, or other common household items? 100Uses.com can tell you what to do with it all. Here are some examples: Collect your old plastic bread clips and use them to label that nest of wires. Use an old towel and some binder clips to make a ceiling mop. Create a stable bottle pyramid in your fridge by using a single, jumbo binder clip.
Melissa Maker @ Clean My Space shares a quick and easy method of cleaning your expensive Keurig coffee makers with a toothbrush, vinegar, dish soap, and a microfiber cloth. Most of the machine can be cleaned in your dishwasher, with minimal manual labor involved. Head on over to Clean My Space for the full instructions, along with a how-to-video.
Spring is here! The weather is gorgeous and it’s time to open the windows and start that spring cleaning. But where to start? What needs to be done? If you’re not sure exactly what needs to be cleaned, we’ve got the checklist just for you. Throughout the House Vacuum/Wipe Down Walls and Ceilings: Start by vacuuming to remove as much loose dirt and dust as possible. Follow this with a soft cloth. Wash with water and soap mixture to clean really dirty areas. Furniture: Vacuum and clean upholstered items and polish wooden items. Clean all dust and treat any problem…
Libby asked: I have a front loading washing machine and cannot get my whites white. When replaced with new whites, within 2-3 washings, they are just as grey and dingy. I only use HE detergents and have tried different brands, hot water and adding bleach, all to no avail. Help! With the trend toward front loading washers comes an unfortunate truth: clothes need water to come clean, and lots of it. Front load washers use a relatively small amount of water and as such, it has become apparent that dingy whites are a side effect of these types of machines….
Anna asked: My clean oven smokes. What am I doing wrong? I sprayed my oven with oven cleaner and washed it all off, but it smokes out the house when I turn it on. What can I do about this? There are a couple of reasons that your oven may be smoking. The first is that there is still food or grease that remains on the surface or on the heating unit. When the oven is turned on, this is burning and causing the smoke. The second is that there is residue from the cleaning product left behind on the…
Lauren asked: How do I protect my hands while washing dishes? I got a supplemental part time job in the school kitchen, and I was dishes a lot. Although I use rubber gloves, mu hands are very cracked. How can I protect them? I even tried using some Vaseline before I put on the gloves, but it does not help. Mu hands are burning. Thank you for your information. Hot water and frequent washings can cause painful cracking and raw skin on hands. Hand washing may be unavoidable, but you can take a few steps to prevent the worst effects…
Pat asked: Could cleaning with bleach cause throat irritation? I use bleach as a regular component of my house cleaning routine. I use it in the bathrooms, toilets, floors, etc. I am concerned that I may be irritating my throat. After a heavy duty winter cleaning episode last weekend, I awoke with a sore throat and strained voice. This seems to happen after a seasonal cleaning. I’m trying to figure out if it may be the result of a chemical allergy or irritant. Although widely used as a household cleaner, chlorine bleach is hazardous in many ways. Some of the…
Florance asked: How do I fix damage from toilet bowl cleaner? Toilet bowl cleaner containing hydrochloric acid was spilled on dark granite and resulted in a spot that is lighter than the rest of the counter, almost a bleaching effect. Is there anything I can do to darken it? Once granite has been “etched” by acid, the damage cannot be repaired. A professional may be able to refinish or “rehone” the granite, but there’s nothing you can do to restore the spot on your own. We recommend finding a reputable pro by contacting either the installer or manufacturer.
Bryan asked: Does the delicate setting on the washing machine make clothing really clean? It is easy to say, “wash delicate clothing with delicate setting.” However, if the delicate clothing is as dirty as the stuff washed with “Medium” setting, which setting should be used to wash this delicate clothing? Does the “Delicate” setting really make clothing as clean as being washed with the “Medium” setting? The delicate cycle is designed to provide a wash cycle that uses less agitation and a shorter washing time. While the other settings use more agitation and longer washing times, which is needed to…
Joanne asked: My grandson and I are having a “discussion” on how long bleach and soap remain in clothes. I say if you rinse properly, there is no problem. He says in his science studies that the bleach stays in forever. Please advise if this is correct. He says you can never remove all of the bleach from clothes. Help. According to our research, bleach will not remain on clothing that is properly rinsed. We have found no studies or proof that bleach remains in clothing fibers after washing and rinsing completely. By rinsing the piece in clean water, and…